New Orleans is home to one of the most delectable grab-and-go breakfast options: the beignet. Countless shops, stands and cafes line these city streets, but people don’t want just any doughnut, they want the cream of the crop, or in this case, yeast. After four days of eating well in The Big Easy, here’s how the powdered sugar-dusted beignet scene shakes out.
Nostalgia Nola
If this list were ranking the atmosphere, this retro arcade would rank number one, but unfortunately, this is a beignet ranking. These doughnuts come doused in powdered sugar, which is usually a good thing, but not in this case. These treats didn’t have the structural integrity to hold up to the poundage of sugar, so the beignets were pretty mushy and way too sweet. While Nostalgia Nola has a lot to offer regarding drinks and aesthetics, their beignets should not be on that menu.
Hot Benny’s
Hot Benny’s is a beignet stand as standard as they come. Their slogan is “Get it while it’s hot,” but these came out “fairly warm.” As for the taste, while they had a good doughiness throughout and were not drowned in powdered sugar, they were unremarkable. There was no incredible texture or flavor to make them stand out. At the end of the day, they were mealy fried lumps of sweetened yeast. While Hot Benny’s is inoffensive, there are definitely better opinions.
Ruby Slipper
Ruby Slipper may be known for its biscuits, but it has pretty good beignets too. There are two varieties of doughnuts in the fall, traditional and seasonal candied apple flavors. Where more standard beignets are massive and doughy, these are small and crispy. While this is different, this makes them perfect for sharing in the diner setting. The traditional beignets are not too sweet, but the seasonal flavor definitely is. Served with a sweetened cream cheese dip and caramelized apples, the candied apple beignets are for those who want their dessert for breakfast. Even though Ruby Slipper is in the middle of this ranking, it isn’t a bad option for diner-style beignets.
Cafe Du Monde
Cafe Du Monde has been frying up these rectangular delicacies since the 60s and it shows. These beignets come out hot, fast and coated to the gills with powdered sugar. Unlike Nostalgia Nola, however, Cafe Du Monde’s doughnuts have the integrity to withstand the mound of sweetener. The uneven and jagged corners get nice and crispy but the middle can vary. Inside are pockets of sweet and airy dough that give an almost perfect mouth feel, especially when contrasted with the crunchy corners. Cafe Du Monde is the standard for a reason and a New Orleans classic everyone needs to try.
Cafe Beignet
If Cafe Du Monde is the standard, Cafe Beignet is the pinnacle of doughnut perfection. These beignets are massive mounds of doughy excellence that still manage to be pockets of light, pillowy goodness. Where the inside is soft, the outside is lightly crisp, creating a perfect textural contrast. Even though these could support a metric ton of powdered sugar, Cafe Beignet knows not to overdo it. A fine dusting is all these doughnuts need to deliver that extra sweetness on top of the already delicious dough. In a city drowning in powdered sugar-coated delicacies, these were featured on Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate” for a reason: because they are just that, the best.
While there are certainly an infinite amount of places to pick up these sweet treats, Cafe Beignet has got it in the name and the bag.
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Featured Image Photographed by Finn Martin/BruinLife.
